Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Nepal presents SDG review report

Nepal has presented its Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in New York.
Vice chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Min Bahadur Shrestha presented the report at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, currently in session under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC) in New York.
Addressing at the session, Shrestha said that Nepal's expected high economic growth of 7 per cent in the fiscal year 2016-17 may be the beginning of a key turnaround for Nepal’s economic growth that will propel the development.
"The country’s ambitious and rights-based Constitution as the overarching guide to sustainable development," he said, highlighting the importance of forging strong partnerships at the national, regional and international levels and among multiple stakeholders for its implementation.
Despite gaps and challenges, Nepal wishes to swiftly complete the unfinished agenda of MDGs, and step up its efforts to achieve the SDGs, building on the encouraging gains made so far, he added.
Shrestha also updated the forum about Nepal’s plans across different goals and targets and informed that SDG codes are assigned to all programmes under the national budget, together with the tracking of expenditures, among other things.
The High-Level Political Forum is the central platform of the United Nations for providing political leadership, guidance and recommendations for the implementation and follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.
Likewise, Voluntary National Review is a mechanism through which member states showcase their progress in achieving SDGs, as well as the gaps and challenges facing them.
The High-Level Political Forum – the second forum after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015 – is being held on July 10-19 with 44 member states including Nepal presenting their Voluntary National Reviews.